Refrigerator cabinet



Patented Sept. 12, 1933 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR. CABINET Robert Winter Hull, Connersville, Ind., assignor to Rex Manufacturing Company, Connersville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application March 12, 1932.

2 Claims.

My said invention relates to the construction of refrigerator cabinets, particularly of a character designed to be fitted with mechanical refrigerating apparatus, and it has for its purpose 5- to provide such a cabinet the construction of which is comparatively simple but at the same time rigid and durable, whereby the requisite strength is provided for supporting the refrigerating fittings and a most efflcient cabinet of the type is provided, composed of few parts and of a comparatively inexpensive but very efficient and serviceable construction, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which is made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure 11's a view partly in elevation and partly in section, of a refrigerator cabinet,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the one-piece top, back and bottom member which constitutes the essential of this invention, and

Figure 3, a section on the dotted line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the drawing reference numeral 10 indicates the cabinet structure provided with a door 11 and having an inner liner 12, a cross rail 13 at the top of the door opening, another cross rail 14 at the bottom of the door opening extending across the cabinet.

A member 15 comprises the main support of the cabinet structure. This member is of a form best illustrated in Figure 2, it being U-shaped, having upper and lower horizontal portions 16 and 18 connected by a vertical portion 17. An inturned flange 19 surrounds the edges of these several portions. This member 15 may be and usually is a single piece of metal of such weight as will afford the requisite strength and rigidity for the purpose, or, as will be readily understood,

it may be of two or more pieces secured together by welding or in any other appropriate manner. Said supporting member 15 is secured to the top rail 13 by any suitable means and extends rearwardly forming the top 16 of the cabinet, downwardly forming the back 17 and forwardly forming the bottom 18 of the food compartment and is secured by any suitable means to the bottom rail 14. The flanges 19 on the portions 16,

1'7 and 18 engage and secure the insulation mate- 5 rial 20 in place between the supporting member 15 and the inner liner 12 of the food compartment thus eliminating the necessity for any supporting elements between these portions other than the door frame work. It also seals the insulation from contact with the outside air in Serial No. 598,487

places where in other construction such insulation is not well sealed.

A sheet of celotex or any other suitable material 21 is placed between the insulation of the back and the back portion 1'7. Suitable plates 28 are 0 secured to the flanges 19 to form the finished sides of the cabinet. The rear edges of the plates 28 are bent over to form flanges 22 which overlap the back portion 17. Another sheet of celotex or any other suitable material 23 is secured between the top 16 and a finishing top plate 24 which fits over the edges of the side plates and back portion of the cabinet as shown in Figure 1. The lower inner portion 31 of the back of the chamber 29 of the cabinet is bolted to the bottom of the supporting plate 15 by means of bolts 25 extending through the openings 28 in the bottom portion 18. The supporting member 15 may also be provided with cut-out portions 2'7 to fit around the upright stiles or vertical door supports to insure a snug fit, but in some constructions these cut-out portions will not be necessary as will be readily understood. The legs 30 are secured to the cabinet in any suitable man'nerj. While I have shown the compressor compartment below the '80 refrigerating chamber it may be above if preferred, as will be readily understood.

It will be seen that by using this heavy metal one-piece support construction the wooden or metal angle pillars ordinarily used in the back construction of cabinets of this character are eliminated and that the member 15 forms the only support needed for the cabinet and also a most efiicient seal for the insulation. This supporting member is preferably fastened securely to the door frame work of the cabinet after the food compartment liner 12 and necessary insulation has been applied.

By this construction, which is featured particularly by the one-piece supporting member 15, a structure is provided that is strong and economical and the results obtained are very practical in refrigerator cabinet construction.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated by the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A refrigerating cabinet having a compartment provided with a door framework,- a. door 110 hinged to said framework, a liner forming the interior of said compartment, insulation applied to said liner, a one-piece supporting member shaped to form the top, back and bottom of said compartment and secured over said insulation, said member having flanges extending from the sides thereof as means for securing finishing plates to said cabinet and having cut-cut portions at the corners of the front edges adapted to fit around the framework to hold the member in fixed position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a refrigerator cabinet having a door framework formed of vertical and horizontal members, a lining secured to said framework and mass" insulation about said lining, a wall element comprising a single plate bent into U-shape. one plane of the U forming the top, another the bottom, and the other the back of the cabinet, the last named plane serving also as a support for the top of said cabinet, said plate being bent up along its side edges to re-enforce it and to provide means for securing the plate to other elements of the cabinet walls and further provided with cut-cut portions at the corners of its front edges adapted to ilt around the vertical members of said door framework to hold the U-shaped plate in fixed position, substantially as set forth.

ROBERT WINTER HULL. 

